Staff/StreamFab/Programmer - Please fix Amazon CBR Audio

[Mike_M]

Hi,

1. Here is the test version for downloading the high bitrate audio file when downloading the CBR video.



2. For the audio bitrate, I know that the other tool can show and choose the different audio bitrate before downloading the video, but in StreamFab, it always download the best one when downloading for EAC3 or AAC.

Wilson

(above truncated by me for brevity/response)

*****

1. Final test results Test/Dev Version for Amazon Prime audio quality on movies/series, subscribed channels and purchased videos.

Used movies from previous tests that can be found in spreadsheet attachments up thread for audio comparison for previous StreamFab version.


Video/Audio in Synch, GREAT CBR version!, 640 kb/s 6 Channel Dolby Digital Plus!:

Amazon: Thirteen Lives
Amazon: 7500
Amazon: Intensive Care
Amazon: Kill Order

Purchased Amazon: The Martian
Purchased Amazon: Spider Man - No Way Home

AMC+ Channel/Amazon: Walking Dead (S11E16)
Epix Channel/Amazon: Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Epix Channel/Amazon: My Life As A Rolling Stone (Episode 1)
MovieSphere Channel/Amazon: Time Freak
Paramount+ Channel/Amazon: Star Trek Discovery (S4E13)
Paramount+ Channel/Amazon: Evil (S3E10)
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Project Ithaca
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Side Effects
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Hit & Run
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Dexter New Blood (S1E10)
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Wakefield (S1E8)
Starz Channel/Amazon: Pet Sematary II
Starz Channel/Amazon: Ghostbusters Afterlife

Video/Audio in Synch, Great CBR Version!, 224 kb/s 2 Channel Dolby Digital Plus! - Same as CBVR versions:

Amazon: The Doors - When You're Strange

AMC+ Channel/Amazon: A Discovery of Witches (S3E7)
AMC+ Channel/Amazon: Needful Things
Discovery+ Channel/Amazon: Evil Lives Here (S12 Ep 1-5)
Discovery+ Channel/Amazon: Ghosthunters (S13E9)
FreeVee Channel/Amazon: An American Werewolf in Paris
FreeVee Channel/Amazon: Black Mountain Side
FreeVee Channel/Amazon: Stevie Ray Vaughn 1954-1983
MovieSphere Channel/Amazon: Meatballs
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Modern Vampires

2. Thanks for explanation.

One *really* good reason to list the audio first prior to downloading is to compare them to previously downloaded versions whose audio was the best at the time, but is now being offered by a different means (Streaming service or Channel).

This happens a lot even within Amazon.

A movie will be offered by Amazon itself or by another Channel and later it may be offered by a different subscribed channel or Amazon.

There are many times that the resolution may be better for the new source (you show it) and the Audio can also be different (which you don't show).

So you'd have to download the file to see if videos you previously downloaded have better audio than the version now being offered by Amazon.

Great Results!

Am going to run a test of StreamFab 5.0.4.8 vs. 5.0.4.9 for my other subscribed channels just to make sure there are no glitches & see if audio quality changed on any of them.

Mike

US, Test Dev Version, No VPN, Win 10/64 (all current updates), Nvidia 2070 Super Graphics Card (latest drivers)

[Cats4U]

Mike,
I hope I speak for everyone here in appreciation for the effort you took to first request this audio improvement and then the testing of it when Wilson was kind enough to provide it. Good job, both of you! We all benefit from it.

[Mike_M]

Mike,
I hope I speak for everyone here in appreciation for the effort you took to first request this audio improvement and then the testing of it when Wilson was kind enough to provide it. Good job, both of you! We all benefit from it.

Thanks Cats4U!

I'd also like to throw in my thanks to Wilson Wang and DVDFab/StreamFab for the quick response.

It's a very good StreamFab update to CBR and will save me a lot of time.

I'm gonna try to test the new StreamFab Test/Dev version on my other subscribed sites HBOMax, Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+ and a few free Streaming sites and compare the results to previous StreamFab version.

Also, just to make sure they work without problems.

I don't have Hulu or Apple+ so if someone that does wants to test a few files from there that would be cool.

Also non-U.S. and those using VPN might also test/update if they desire.

You might want to grab and save the current release off-line version, just in case you want to restore.

StreamFab 5.0.4.8 offline full install (current offered version)


StreamFab 5.0.4.9 (ver5) Test/Dev full offline version for downloading the high bitrate audio file when downloading the CBR video


Mike

[Dijitul]

I've tested 5.049 test version with amazon and for some reason some videos result in a mediainfo file that looks like this

Video
ID : 1
Format : V_QUICKTIME
Codec ID : V_QUICKTIME
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate : 3 671 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.074
Stream size : 297 MiB (94%)
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Audio
ID : 2
Format : E-AC-3
Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3
Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus
Codec ID : A_EAC3
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 224 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 18.1 MiB (6%)
Language : English
Service kind : Complete Main
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Text
ID : 3
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration : 11 min 3 s
Bit rate : 92 b/s
Frame rate : 0.378 FPS
Count of elements : 251
Stream size : 7.50 KiB (0%)
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No


whereas others might be fine, resulting in the regular avc files and such, instead of this weird quicktime coded file

[Mike_M]

I've tested 5.049 test version with amazon and for some reason some videos result in a mediainfo file that looks like this

Video
ID : 1
Format : V_QUICKTIME
Codec ID : V_QUICKTIME
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate : 3 671 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.074
Stream size : 297 MiB (94%)
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Audio
ID : 2
Format : E-AC-3
Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3
Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus
Codec ID : A_EAC3
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 224 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 18.1 MiB (6%)
Language : English
Service kind : Complete Main
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Text
ID : 3
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration : 11 min 3 s
Bit rate : 92 b/s
Frame rate : 0.378 FPS
Count of elements : 251
Stream size : 7.50 KiB (0%)
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No

whereas others might be fine, resulting in the regular avc files and such, instead of this weird quicktime coded file

Hi Dijutil,

In order to look at this, if it's a problem, they'll probably need more info -File names, the location of Amazon you're getting them from (U.S./Foreign) in order to duplicate.

And log files if you could attach them to a post here.

I'd like to try those files, if they are available to me with Amazon or subscribed channels via U.S.

I noticed that they are smaller durations (shorts films?).

Anyway, if you could provide the names I could see if they are available to me to look at.

Not even opposed to subscribing to a channel (for short term testing) if they are in one I don't currently have.

Thanks

Mike, just another user of StreamFab

[Mike_M]

Summation of StreamFab 5.0.4.0 Dev v.5 and aggregate post of data at:

StreamFab 5.0.4.9 Dev v.5 (CBR Audio improvement) with Amazon/Channels/Purchases

https://forum.dvdfab.cn/forum/software-support-english/youtube-to-mp3-youtube-video-downloader/413922-streamfab-5-0-4-9-dev-v-5-cbr-audio-improvement-with-amazon-channels-purchases

[Dula87]

Anyway to get this beta compiled for MacOS?

[Chameleon]

So to sum it up this just enhances the audio to 224 kb/s 2 Channel Dolby Digital Plus. This whole new version is all about audio, not video, am I correct? HBO is still 720p and nothing has changed.

[Mike_M]

So to sum it up this just enhances the audio to 224 kb/s 2 Channel Dolby Digital Plus. This whole new version is all about audio, not video, am I correct? HBO is still 720p and nothing has changed.

The topic I started was "Staff/StreamFab/Programmer - Please fix Amazon CBR Audio"

StreamFab 5.0.4.0 Dev v.5 had changes in it specifically to deal with updating how it handled CBR audio for Amazon.

HBO is still 720p video resolution via StreamFab.

You're summation of audio is incorrect based on the sampling of files I did for Amazon, subscribed channels and purchased videos.

The largest percentage of files (23/7 or about 75%) in one representative sampling of Amazon files had a ceiling of 192 kb/s for Audio for CBR, they now get 640kb/s for CBR Audio.

The other ~25% of files that were 125 kb/s AAC are now 224 kb/s Dolby Digital Plus.

*****

The analysis for other Streaming sites that I included, other that Amazon, was for comparison and educational purposes (mine & others), as was the inclusion of video resolutions.

One thing that jumped out at me was seeing the benefit of checking each files sound offerings after you select it to see if Atmos is offered, for HBOMax and Disney+ (maybe for others in the future) that changed the resulting audio for CBR from 384 kb/s to 768 kb/s.

This would be a good future enhancement of the StreamFab program to choose ATMOS automatically when it's available in the StreamFab settings to choose for the audio quality boost without having to manually check every file after choosing it.

Another suggestion by Marty92 was to show audio quality prior to download, which would also be helpful to have.

Seeing the comparison of audio/video quality from Paramount+ vs. as a channel on Amazon (which is higher quality video/audio) also might help some.

I would think something that would interest you is seeing side by side comparisons of StreamFab vs The Other Software (mentioned and compared in recent email in July by StreamFab) and it's clear message that DvdFab/StreamFab needs to address 720p for HBOMax.

If I read/participated in a thread entitled "Staff/StreamFab/Programmer - Please fix Amazon CBR Audio" and a moderator (Wilson Wang) posted a StreamFab Dev version that he said addressed the CBR audio for the issue pointed out, I wouldn't expect the HBOMax 720p issue to be addressed by it.

It would be a very nice surprise if HBOMax 720p was addressed in a near future StreamFab release though.

I found what I did useful to me and I learned some things and can't help but thinking so did some other users.

Mike

[Cats4U]

This would be a good future enhancement of the StreamFab program to choose ATMOS automatically when it's available in the StreamFab settings to choose for the audio quality boost without having to manually check every file after choosing it.

The only thing I'm concerned about with this idea is for the people that are just using their stereo built-in TV audio or soundbar. Downmixing just from basic 5.1 multi-channel to stereo can be a crapshoot based on how the sound was originally engineered. The biggest common problem of which is the lowering volume of dialogue and the blaring of incidental music and background sounds. And you want to automatically add in ATMOS on top of that? I've read that downmixing from ATMOS to basic 5.1 can sometimes be just as perilous if not as dramatic.

[Mike_M]

The only thing I'm concerned about with this idea is for the people that are just using their stereo built-in TV audio or soundbar. Downmixing just from basic 5.1 multi-channel to stereo can be a crapshoot based on how the sound was originally engineered. The biggest common problem of which is the lowering volume of dialogue and the blaring of incidental music and background sounds. And you want to automatically add in ATMOS on top of that? I've read that downmixing from ATMOS to basic 5.1 can sometimes be just as perilous if not as dramatic.

Hi Cats4U,

Would adding another option in StreamFab settings in the existing choice "Audio Settings Selected if Available" under VIP Services be an issue?

Currently we can choose in VIP Settings:

1. Stereo (AAC)
2. Multi-Channel 5.1 (EAC3 /AC3)

Possible new choice?
3. Multi-Channel (ATMOS)

That's what I meant by "automatic" - if you set this in settings, then it automatically chooses that audio if available.

Despite having <Multi-Channel 5.1 (EAC3 / AC3)>setting in the VIP audio selection when downloading from HBOMax on both StreamFab 5.0.3.8 and StreamFab 5.0.3.9 Dev - Fantastic Beasts - The Secrets of Dumbledore, StreamFab automatically chooses 768 kb/s 6Ch, E-AC-3 JOC (Dolby Digital Plus with Dolby Atmos) and you don't get any choice.

Deadpool via HBOMax automatically downloads:

SFab 5048 1280x720 3693 kb/s 768 kb/s 6Ch E-AC-3 DD+ Atmos
SFab 5049 1280x720 3693 kb/s 768 kb/s 6Ch E-AC-3 DD+ Atmos

When downloading from Disney Plus for the movie Deadpool or Deadpool 2 (and others) it gives you 3 choices after you choose the file in StreamFab and before you download of:

1) Multi-Channel (ATMOS)
2) Multi-Channel (EAC3)
3) Stereo (AAC)

and it automatically chooses #2, in order to get below you have to change it to #1.

SFab 5048 1280x720 3693 kb/s 768 kb/s 6Ch E-AC-3 DD+ Atmos
SFab 5049 1280x720 3693 kb/s 768 kb/s 6Ch E-AC-3 DD+ Atmos

What I was envisioning is the VIP setting giving the user the ability to control the default, specifically for Disney Plus for now and others in the future.

My understanding of downmixing ATMOS/5.1 is very limited and I'd defer to your and other peoples expertise on this.

Seeing as HBOMax doesn't give you a choice and is it defaulting to above configuration is it also applicable to your concern?

Would it be better to you if 2) Multi-Channel 5.1 (EAC3 /AC3) in VIP settings automatically picked that configuration in HBOMax instead of defaulting to above with ATMOS?

Don't know if the above configuration is what you are saying would be an downmixing Atmos/5.1 issue on some systems.

I just know that it sounds *really* nice when I played the above 2 movies on my 5.1 system and looked for scenes with background music and dialogue such as the scene with Deadpool with fake vampire teeth, background music with dialogue between him/girlfriend.

Am I speaking Apples to your Oranges?

Thanks for any educating on this matter!

Mike

[Cats4U]

Hi Cats4U,

Would adding another option in StreamFab settings in the existing choice "Audio Settings Selected if Available" under VIP Services be an issue?

Currently we can choose in VIP Settings:

1. Stereo (AAC)
2. Multi-Channel 5.1 (EAC3 /AC3)

Possible new choice?
3. Multi-Channel (ATMOS)

That's what I meant by "automatic" - if you set this in settings, then it automatically chooses that audio if available.

That's the key to the misunderstanding... I thought that when you wrote "This would be a good future enhancement of the StreamFab program to choose ATMOS automatically" that that would be the only way that we would receive audio. It appears my brain switched off at that point and I never read the rest of the sentence which included "when it's available in the StreamFab settings".
Obviously you could see that what I was thinking would be a bad thing. Having those three options would be great. The only setback would be with the education of the user who thinks more is better when they don't have the hardware to back it up but that's out of our job description.

[Mike_M]

That's the key to the misunderstanding... I thought that when you wrote "This would be a good future enhancement of the StreamFab program to choose ATMOS automatically" that that would be the only way that we would receive audio. It appears my brain switched off at that point and I never read the rest of the sentence which included "when it's available in the StreamFab settings".
Obviously you could see that what I was thinking would be a bad thing. Having those three options would be great. The only setback would be with the education of the user who thinks more is better when they don't have the hardware to back it up but that's out of our job description.